Manufacture of threads from solutions of materials



Oct. 18, 1938. CUPERY 2,133,322

MANUFACTURE OF THREADS FROM SOLUTIONS-OF MATERIALS Filed Nov. 27, 1936 IN VEN TOR.

mm m cU Mr By 3 I A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF THREADS FROM SOLU- TIONS OF MATERIALS Application November 27, 1936, Serial No. 112,943

15 Claims.

This invention relates tothe manufacture of threads from solutions of materials, and more particularly it relates to a method for the production of novelty threads having small beads or globular irregularities along the length thereof.

In the production of threads having nubs or irregular, thickened portions, it has been considered necessary, prior to the present invention, to deposit masses of pasty consistency at intervals along the thread, or to form a thread from a thread forming solution by the use of a pump having an irregular or intermittent operation, or by the use of a main pump and an auxiliary pump which may vary the pressure at the extruding orifice for the solution. These previously known methods were unsatisfactory due to the difficulty in obtaining a decided nodule effect and/or difficulty in depositing nodules onto the thread in the desired manner.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thread of novel appearance having a coating of irregular thickness along the length thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and useful process whereby novelty yarn of decidedly irregular diameter may be produced.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a novel thread having a coating of irregular outline thereon, said coating having a colored, white, or metallic appearance.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novelty yarn having a coating of irregular outline thereon, which coating exhibits a high resistance to laundering and dry cleaning treatments.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The objects of the invention may be accomplished in general by forming a coating of a liquid on a preformed thread and then regulating the thickness of the coating so that the coating may run to form droplets on the thread whereby to produce a thread having small beads or globular irregularities along the length thereof.

In order to more clearly explain the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying illustration showing one modification of apparatus for carrying out the invention.

In the drawing the figure is a diagrammatic illustration of one specific modification adapted to carry out the applicants invention.

Referring to. the illustration, reference numeral 6 designates the bobbin or spool of yarn l. The 5 yarn l is drawn from the bobbin 6 into a bath of a coating composition 8 in tank It, and is passed through the coating composition by drawing the same about rollers l2 and M. The thread I, after it leaves the coating composition 8, is drawn upwardly through a member it, such as a die having a small orifice H. The member I 6 may be made a part of the top of tank H) to prevent evaporation of solvent from the coating composition. As the thread is drawn upwardly through the orifice H in the die plate It, the coating will be formed with a plurality of small nodules spaced from each other along the length of the thread. The thread l8, having the coating of irregular outline so as to exhibit the appearance of a plurality of small beads, is passed upwardly from the die [6 through a drying chamber 20 in which the coating composition is dried and rendered inert to subsequent mechanical operations. The drying chamber 20 is preferably provided with a plurality of heating means, such as, for example, electric heating elements 22 whereby to maintain the temperature in the drying chamber substantially constant at the desired drying temperature. After passing through the drying chamber 20, the thread I8 is passed over the guide roller 24 and wound up on a bobbin 26.

Obviously, the apparatus for carrying out the present invention may be changed in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, additional coats of material may be successively applied to the same thread by repeating the above process. The thread may be passed through the drying chamber a plurality of times or the thread may be passed through a plurality of drying chambers 20 so as to get the desireddrying effect. If the coating composition is of a type which is coagulable in a liquid coagulating bath, the drying chambers may be replaced by a series of liquid or vapor coagulating chambers.

In accordance with the present invention, certain coating compositions may be applied to textile threads under certain controlled conditions so that droplets of the coating composition are formed upon the threads. Upon drying, a fiber having beads or globular nodules at more or less regular intervals along its length is obtained. The coating material may be applied by passing the thread, at a controlled rate, through a solution of a suitable viscosity, and preferably, removing the excess coating material which adheres to the thread by drawing it through a small nozzle orifice. The coated thread is then drawn through a heated chamber in order to dry the composition which has been applied. Additional coats of material may be successively applied to the same thread by repeating the above process.

In order to produce an irregular application of coating material, it is essential that a proper relationship between the linear thread speed, the viscosity of the coating solution, and the size of the nozzle orifice be maintained. If such relationship between these factors is properly adusted, the coating material which is applied will flow upon the thread just suficiently while passing through the drying chamber to produce a product showing the desired irregularity. By varying one or more of the above factors, it is possible to vary the size, shape, and location of the flakes or nodules upon the supporting textile thread.

The following specific examples illustrate the operation of the process and the conditions which are required. Inasmuch as various obvious changes and modifications can be made in the processes as set forth in the examples, it is to be understood that they are not limitative of the invention.

Example I A 60-lfilament viscose rayon thread of denier and having a twist of 4 turns per inch was passed through a solution of cellulose acetate of the following composition:

Parts Cellulose acetate, medium viscosity 75 Methyl alcohol 75 Dibutyl phthalate 15 Methylene chloride 735 The above solution had a viscosity of about 4.3 poises. The thread, after passage through the coating solution, was drawn through a nozzle orifice of about 0.018 inch diameter located directly above the coating composition, which removed the surplus material adhering to the thread and gave an even application of the coating material. speed of about 20 ft. per minute. Thevertical drying chamber of 14 ft. height was maintained at a temperature of 55-60 C. As the thread was drawn away from the nozzle orifice, droplets of coating solution formed upon the thread. After drying, by passage through the heated chamber, the beads or nodules were nearly spherical in shape, quite uniform in size, and located at intervals of about 0.05 to 0.15 inch along the thread. The nodules had a translucent white appearance resembling to some extent a string of small size pearls.

When a larger nozzle orifice of about 0.03 inch diameter was used in the above example, and the linear speed of the thread increased to about 30 ft. per minute, larger knobs (up to 0.1 inch diameter) which had hollow interiors, were formed upon the thread.

When pigments were added to the above composition, colored products were obtained. Brilliant bronze nodules were formed when bronze powder was added to the coating composition.

The thread was drawn at a linear' Example II A 40-fi1ament viscose rayon thread of 150 denier and having a twist of 3 turns per inch was passed through a bronze coating lacquer having the following composition:

Parts A 52% linseed oil modified alkyd resin having an acid number of 4, and prepared by any well known manner such as described in Kienle U. S. Patent 1,893,873

or the method described in Ott et al. U. S.

Patent 2,044,747 which consists in heating glycerol with linseed oil in the presence of an alcoholysis catalyst, adding phthalic anhydride and heating to resinification 112 Turpentine 20 Petroleum hydrocarbon fraction (boiling point -190 C.) 118 Cobalt linoleate liquid drier (2% cobalt) 2 Tricresyl phosphate (plasticizer) 10 Bronze powder, finely divided 250 The above lacquer solution before the addition of the metal powder had a viscosity of 1.25

poises at 77 C. During the coating process a stirring device was employed to insure an even distribution of metal powder within the coating solution. The thread was drawn through at a rate of about 4 ft. per minute. The excess coating material was removed by drawing the coated thread through a nozzle orifice of about 0.04 inch in diameter, located directly over the coating so lution. As the coated thread was drawn away from the nozzle orifice, droplets or beads of coating composition formed upon the thread. The product was passed for three successive times through a drying chamber 14 ft. high and maintained at 100110 C. Upon drying, each droplet formed a hard nodule upon the thread. These nodules, which had a metallic luster, showed exceptional adhesion to the thread, and were not tarnished or removed by Washing in a 0.5% soap solution at 7080 C. for one hour, or immersion in hydrocarbon cleaning solvents for one-half hour. The product had a rich golden color. When immersed in dilute aqueous sodium cyanide (0.1 to 1% solution) for a brief period, the rich gold was changed to a bright, polished gold appearance. This finish could be protected from tarnishing by the application of a neutral, clear lacquer coating. were approximately 0.05 inch or less in diameter and were spaced about 0.03 to 0.3 inch apart. The product, when woven into a crepe fabric, imparted a remarkably attractive appearance to the finished product.

' Similar products were obtained when in place of denier rayon, a thread of 300 denier-120 filament viscose rayon having a twist of 4 turns per inch was used} As the tensile strength of the supporting thread was increased, the coated product obtained showed a corresponding increase in tensile strength. When a 900 denier- 390 filament viscose rayon thread was used in the above example, only a smoothly coated product was obtained. However, when the size of the nozzle orifice was increased to about 0.08 inch in diameter, a large diameter, knobby coated product could be prepared. When a thread of uneven denier, varying from 100 to 900 denier was coated by the procedure described in the above example, a product was obtained which had, in part, an irregular coating. In such cases the high denier portions of the thread were smoothly coated While the low denier portions The nodules had an irregular knobby coating. When the viscosity of the coating solution was reduced to about 0.5 poises, the uneven denier yarn showed an entirely smooth application of coating material when operating at a linear thread speed of 4 ft. per minute. Such products, likewise, showed exceptionally high resistance towards hot water and hydrocarbon cleaning solvents. When 50s cotton yarn, that is cotton yarn of such a size that 50 skeins measuring 840 yards weigh 1 pound avoirdupois, was substituted in the above example, a product having irregular flakes of coating material attached to the thread was obtained.

Example III A 40-filament viscose rayon thread of 150 denier and having a twist of 3 turns per inch was passed through a coating lacquer having the following composition:

Parts A 35% linseed oil, 14% China-wood oil modifled alkyd resin having an acid number of about 36 and prepared by the procedure designated in Example II 45 Hydrocarbon solvent (high flash naphtha) 55 Cobalt linoleate liquid drier (2% cobalt) 2 The above coating composition had a viscosity of about 7 poises at 77 F. An orifice of 0.04 inch in diameter was used as described in the foregoing example. When the thread was drawn at a linear rate of 2 ft. per minute, no beads or nodules formed upon the thread. However, when the above solution was diluted with toluene to aviscosity of 1.5 poises, nodules were readily formed upon the thread when drawn at 2 ft. or more per minute. When the above solution was further diluted to a viscosity of 0.5 poise, no nodules were formed upon the thread when drawn at a linear speed of less than about 7 ft. per minute. At this viscosity (0.5 poise) uniform small nodules were formed at a linear thread speed of 10 ft. per minute. The speed could be further increased to 180 ft. or more per minute without appreciably altering the size or arrangement of the nodules on the thread. When the above solution was still further diluted to about 0.3 poise at 77 F., no appreciable formation of nodules took place below a linear thread speed of about 80 ft. per minute. However, at 100 ft. or more per minute, uniform small nodules of about 0.04 inch or less in diameter were formed upon the coated thread.

The above solution may be colored with various dyes, thereby yielding colored products having a highly attractive appearance.

Example IV A coating of a red pigmented commercially available nitrocellulose lacquer having a viscosity of about 2 poises at 77 F. was applied to a base thread comprising two strands of 150 denier viscose rayon, each thread having 40 filaments and a twist of three turns per inch using the process described in Example I. A linear thread speed of about ft. per minute was used while the drying chamber was maintained at 85-95 C. The nozzle which removed the excess coating material had an orifice diameter of about 0.022 inch. The product had an attractive bright red appearance. The nodules which formed on the thread during the coating procedure were about 0.015 inch in diameter and spaced 0.05-0.25 inch apart.

The above coating process was also repeated by passing the above product through one or more additional coating compositions under the conditions described above. For example, three consecutive applications of the above mentioned lacquer produced a product having larger nodules of about 0.025 inch in diameter. When nozzles having larger orifices were employed for the second and third coating application (0.026 and 0.032 inch in diameter respectively), a product showing still larger nodules of 0.03-0.05 inch in diameter was produced.

The above products could be woven into coarse fabrics, braids, and similar products which had a strikingly attractive appearance.

From the foregoing examples, it is evident that the relationship between the linear thread speed, the solution viscosity, and the size of the nozzle orifice is important in order to produce the desired results. This relationship cannot be expressed in simple ratio terms as the conditions of operation may be widely varied, providing a proper balance is maintained. Example III points out to some extent the practical limits of variation. The lower limits of viscosity and speed which are essential to produce the knobby eifect can be quite closely defined. For example, at 0.3 poise solution viscosity (77 F.), a linear thread speed of over 80 ft. per minute is required. An increase in nozzle orifice size does not materially alter these requirements. On the other hand, at viscosities of about 0.75 poise or over, the lower limit of linear thread speed is the speed required to carry a slight excess of coating material up into the nozzle orifice. The maximum speed limitation in such cases is determined only by the ease with which the product is dried to a tack free condition. At greatly increased viscosity (approximately 7 poises or over, at 77 F.), the process is in general not practical, owing to the tendency of such solutions to form a uniform, smooth coating. However, in certain cases it is possible to pass the coated thread through an area of high temperature, thereby reducing the viscosity sufiiciently to give an uneven coating, and then drying the product in the usual way. It is also possible to use high viscosity coating solutions maintained at an elevated temperature in order to reduce the viscosity and thus allow a satisfactory application of the coating material. Under any conditions the upper viscosity limit would be of the order of about 20-30 poises at 77 F.

It is preferable to use a nozzle orifice of approximately 0.04 inch in diameter when textile threads corresponding in size to 100-400 denier rayon yarn are used. When threads of smaller size are used, it is often desirable to use an orifice of decreased size. Likewise, for low viscosity solutions, orifices in the range of 0.02 inch to 0.03 inch in diameter are preferable. When high denier yarns are employed, the size of the nozzle orifice must be increased correspondingly, depending somewhat upon the viscosity of the coating solution and the size of nodules .which are desired. The lower limit of the nozzle orifice size would be about 0.01 inch in diameter While the upper limit cannot be well defined, as in certain instances the nozzle orifice may be entirely dispensed with. In such cases the amount of coating material which adheres to the thread is just sufficient to allow a proper application without removal of an excess. However, in order to obtain complete uniformity and a greater speed of application, it is preferable to draw the coated thread through an orifice of suitable size, which constitutes my preferred process.

The application of coating material to the supporting filament may be accomplished in various other ways, for example, by applying the lacquer by means of spraying, or by bringing the thread into contact with rollers dipped in the lacquer, or by bringing the thread into contact with the upper portion of a revolving sprocket wheel the lower portion of which is dipped into the coating composition.

Various textile threads may be used as the supporting filament for the coating process, for example cotton, wool, linen, rubber filaments or cellulosic filaments such as rayon. When a more or less uniform size, shape and distribution of nodules upon the thread is desired, it is advantageous to use a thread of uniform characteristics, such as rayon. On the other hand, when an irregular, frayed appearance is desired, it is advantageous to use staple fiber threads such as cotton or wool. Slub yarns also yield interesting and novel effects. The shape of the nodules applied to the thread may also be changed by pressing them into a platelet form before being thoroughly dried.

It is desirable to use coating compositions of high total solids content (10% total non-volatile solids, or over) and, preferably, containing nonfiammable solvents of high volatility. Such compositions tend to give firm, uniformly shaped nodules. When coating solutions of low solids concentration containing only highly volatile solvents such as methylene chloride and acetone are used, uniform spherical shells of large size (about 0.04-0.15 inch in diameter), but having a hollow interior, may be formed upon a thread. Such products closely resemble a bead-ed thread in which the beads are spaced about 0.05-0.25 inch apart along the thread. On the other hand, when compositions having less than 10% nonvolatile solids and containing only high boiling solvents (having a boiling point of 100 C. or over) are used, exceedingly small nodules are formed upon the thread. Such products have no distincfive or attractive appearance compared to the knobby yarn prepared by the examples given.

Coating compositions of a great variety may be used in order to obtain the effects desired. It is necessary, however, that such solutions have the viscosity required for a proper application under the conditions used. Such compositions may be based on synthetic or natural resins, cellulosic materials, rubber or its derivatives, or other coating materials, with or without the addition of oils, plasticizers, pigments, dyes and other known lacquer ingredients.

The knobby coated yarns prepared by the process described are useful mainly for weaving into highly attractive fabrics of artistic and novel design such as are useful in fabricating draperies, upholstery, lampshades, dress goods, millin'ery goods or other wearing apparel. Fabrics'which are woven entirely of knobby or metallized yarn products are useful as mats, pads, in the manufacture of shoes, cloth screens and other similar articles.

The coating procedure is inexpensive and simple to operate. As far as is known, it is the only method which has been devised for the production of knobby yarns of the type above described. The products obtained are new and novel and show unique attractiveness such as has hitherto not been possible to produce.

The alkyd resin coatings described in Examples II and III show a distinct advantage over other types of coating materials, in that they are highly water resistant and also resistant to hydrocarbon cleaning solvents. Hence, such products can be subjected to laundering and dry cleaning with hydrocarbon solvents without destroying the appearance and attractiveness of such materials.

Inasmuch as many obvious changes and modifications can be made in the above detailed description without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying a cellulose derivative coating composition to a preformed regeneratedcellulose thread under conditions of correlated coating viscosity and thread speed that said coating will re-form to produce spaced nodules along said thread, and drying said cellulose derivative coating.

2. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying an oil modified alkyd resin coating composition to a preformed regenerated cellulose thread under conditions of correlated coating viscosity and thread speed that said coating will re-form to produce spaced nodules along said thread, and drying said oil modified alkyd resin coating.

3. A thread having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof comprising a base thread and a continuous coating of non-uniform thickness along the length of said base thread.

4. A thread having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof comprising a base thread and a substantially continuous coating in the form of spaced, globular nodules along the length of said base thread, said nodules formed of the coating material.

5. A thread having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof comprising a base thread and a cellulose derivative coating in the form of spaced, globular nodules along the length of said base thread, said nodules formed of the coating material. I

6. A thread having a plurality of spaced, en larged portions along the length thereof comprising a base thread and an oil modified alkyd resin coating in the form of spaced, globular nodules along the length of said base thread, said nodules formed of the coating material.

'7. A thread having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof comprising a regenerated cellulose base thread and a cellulose derivative coating in the form of spaced, globular nodules along the length of said base thread, said nodules formed of the coating material.

8. A thread having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof comprising a regenerated cellulose base thread and an oil modified alkyd resin coating in the form of spaced, globular nodules along the length of said base thread, said nodules formed of the coating material.

9. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof, which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition which will flow along the thread after ap- I plication thereto, linearly moving said thread with a speed correlated to the viscosity of the coating composition so as to cause said coating composition to collect in droplets on said thread, and solidifying said coating composition.

10. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition which will flow along the thread after application thereto, moving said thread upwardly with a speed correlated to the viscosity of the coating composition so as to cause said coating to collect in droplets on said threads, and solidifying said coating composition.

11. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition which will flow along the thread after application thereto, linearly moving said thread, regulating the speed of movement of said thread, relative to the viscosity of the coating composition, so that the latter will collect in droplets on said thread, and solidifying said coating.

.12. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition having a viscosity of 0.3 to 7 poises, linearly moving said thread, regulating the speed of movement of the thread, relative to the viscosity of the coating composition, so that the coating comthe length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition, linearly moving said thread at a speed of at least 2 feet per minute, adjusting the viscosity of the coating composition relative to the speed of movement of said thread, so that it will collect in droplets on said thread, and solidifying said coating.

14. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition, linearly moving said thread, regulating the amount of coating composition on the linearly moving thread, adjusting the viscosity of the coating composition relative to the speed of movement of said thread, so that it will collect in droplets on said thread, and solidifying said coating.

15. The method of producing threads having a plurality of spaced, enlarged portions along the length thereof which comprises applying to a preformed thread a solidifiable coating composition containing at least 10% solids, linearly moving said thread, adjusting the viscosity of the coating composition relative to the speed of movement of said thread, so that it will collect in droplets on said thread, and solidifying said coating.

MARTIN ELI CUPERY. 

